A Familiar Stranger
by Vegeta-shun
Summary: Rated R for heavy subject matter. But Trunks is there to save the day, essentially. It's a Trunks/oc. Read, review?


This is DBZ, but not by much 

This is DBZ, but not by much. It's about my original character, Aurora, and how she finds her own definition of love - her love for Trunks, and that's how it relates to DBZ. Takes place after "Someone to Live and Die For" - the other "serious" story I've posted. It'd probably help if you have read that first. In short, don't complain to me that you don't understand the characters, etc. if you haven't read the first story. 

"A Familiar Stranger" 

'This isn't real. This isn't my life,' Aurora repeated to herself over and over again as she sat on the bathroom floor, hugging her knees to her chest. There was a slash in her sleeve where the knife had cut her arm. There was blood draining into her mouth where Raven had nearly broken her jaw. She was capable of defending herself, but after years of the emotional assault, she believed that she deserved this torture. 

A resurgence of pain caused her to squeeze her eyes shut, the eyelids releasing two tears that streaked down her cheek and stained her shirt. Aurora began painting a picture against the black canvas. It was her children, Flora and Boden, whom she loved with all her heart. She added herself to the picture, looking young and beautiful, in contrast with how she felt now. There was a fourth in that picture, but it was not Raven. No, not him. He caused her pain. The man she pictured was strong, not a coward as Raven was. He was kind, not cruel as Raven was. He was patient, not unforgiving as Raven was. 

It was Trunks - someone who belonged in the family portrait. Though they had never married, they had lived together in this world sharing a bond greater than marriage. 

But one day, after three blissful years in their new home, Aurora awoke and no longer felt that bond. For another year she waited for the connection to return, but it didn't. She searched for it and found nothing. And the nothingness killed her. She felt nothing when she looked at him, kissed him, made love to him. Aurora had been convinced she was living a lie. 

And so one night she left. Much in the same way she had snuck out all those years ago; she slinked out of bed, silently dressed, and walked into the night. It hadn't been her intention to walk to the next city. It hadn't been her intention to stay there for two years. It hadn't been her intention to meet Raven after a month on her own in her apartment. She hadn't intended to foolishly harbor feelings for the man. 

The morning after Aurora left, she had called Capsule Corporation and asked for Bulma. They had been close since the day the family arrived from the past. Bulma had been shocked and overjoyed that Trunks had finally settled down. She had grandkids, and she loved the woman who gave them to her. Aurora knew she could talk to Bulma, that Bulma would understand and talk to Trunks. If anyone could convince Trunks to leave Aurora alone for awhile, it was his stubborn mother. 

Bulma accepted Aurora's need to get away and to "find herself" again. She agreed to make Trunks accept it as well. 

Bulma had talked to Trunks, but it was HE that convinced her. Trunks never had the intention to let Aurora go, but made false promises to his mother in order to give her peace of mind. He knew her too well, and knew the only way he could continue seeing Aurora was in secrecy. 

Late at night, he would leave Capsule Corp. and fly to Aurora's apartment, floating outside her window, watching her sleep. He did this every day for a month. Then, one night she wasn't there. He had to search the city, but eventually found her ... in another man's arms. She had been away for one month - 30 days. 720 hours. 432,000 minutes. He could not think about the number of seconds; it hurt too much - but Trunks had believed she would come back to her family. Now he was forced to let go of that belief. He was forced to let her go. 

Trunks no longer left at night, unless it was to lie under the blanket of a starry sky and dream of their happiness and contemplate when it had vanished. This wonderment plagued him, but he was able to live his life with a semblance of normalcy. He loved her too much to see her with someone else, and so he respect her request to be left alone. He was strong enough to admit she was gone. Trunks vowed to never go back to her. But he loved her too much to stop thinking of a day when they would be together again. But it would be her initiative to come back. This he was certain of. She would leave this new lover and her heart would belong to him again, body and soul. 

The twins, now 9years-old, were more accepting of their mother's departure. It didn't seem to bother their father at all, so it couldn't be that bad, could it? They kept themselves busy, training with each other. But every day that went by, the memory of Aurora grew dimmer in their minds. Never forgotten, but her absence was becoming expected. 

Things adapt. Unwillingly, but out of necessity. 

Meanwhile, Aurora's life was crumbling. She had moved in with raven, his charm captivating her. His possessiveness mistaken for romanticism. The first time he hit her did nothing to destroy any feelings - it only created new ones: confusion, alarm, and helplessness. But the apologies always came, seemingly sincere. His outbursts became more frequent, and Raven didn't let her leave the house without him. So many things angered him. The apologies became fewer and further between until they disappeared all together. But she forgave him without apologies, misplacing blame. It wasn't his fault that she got on his nerves afterall. 

But this time she was not so quick to forgive. Even though her family was not picture perfect, it was calling to her, in need of her, and she wanted to cry out for giving that up. And she had given it up for what? For two years of torment? 

She opened her eyes slowly and the fog had lifted. It was clear that she had to leave. She wanted to leave. But she was trapped. Being caged enraged her. No one had ever managed to hold her down, and she'd be damned if she let Raven do it any longer. 

She could feel her energy level rising, gathering itself at her center. The energy she had suppressed for two years in order to live a "normal" life; it was resurfacing and she had no control over it. There was something inside her making this happen, she could only pray that it stopped before it erupted. 

But it didn't stop. It continued to grow. And she continued to contain it. It grew past levels she never knew existed within her. But she did not fear this power. She trusted the thing raising her energy. It knew what it was doing. She relaxed and let her power grow at an unhindered rate. 

She felt calm. 

Aurora still felt calm when Raven broke the bathroom door down, drunkenly stalking toward her with the knife he had cut her with earlier. She looked at him with sharp eyes, and a twisted smile. Electricity filled the air and the ground began to shake. Raven stopped advancing, staring at her in horror as a light illuminated inside of her. Aurora levitated off the ground, a gentle wind swirling around her. He arms lying at her sides, finger tips glowing. She raised a hand toward Raven, and with a breath he was blown backward thru the wall. He was half dead, but Aurora could still feel the evil that had stolen two years of her life. 

Her feet lightly touched the floor and she took deliberate steps toward him. He looked up at her, through the blood and fear in his eyes. Again, she raised a hand, and he was raised with it, her power lifting him. She spoke with an icy voice, "I trusted you." 

His words bubbled out of his mouth, through the blood and saliva, "I knew there was something wrong with you, bitch. I should have killed you long ago, when I had the chance." 

The words lit the fuse. She no longer contained the power that had accumulated. The explosion was set off inside her. Raven did not survive it. He was blown through the exterior wall, and fell eight stories, hitting the pavement. 

Aurora stood still for a moment, then started walking. Out of the apartment, down the stairs. With every step, her power decreased, the light retreating back inside her, not to hide, but to rest. And with every step. She became weaker. Her knees a little less stable. Static filled her head, making her deaf to the crowd gathering around Raven's body in front of the building. 

And so she went out the back door, ready to collapse. But her path was impeded. There was someone standing in her way. Not blocking her motion, but prepared to receive, now that she was ready to give. 

He smelled familiar. She pressed her palms against his chest. He felt familiar. She looked up and a weak smile spread across her tired face. He looked familiar. She closed her eyes and her knees finally gave out. She fell into familiar stranger, and Trunks caught her with ease. 

Aurora had never felt so tired. Never had she felt more secure. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, and they sank to the ground. 

They rocked back and forth and Trunks held her to his chest, the familiarity consumed Aurora. `This is it. This is what I thought I lost. It was always here.' She sighed heavily and put her arms around this man. With her last bit of energy she squeezed him tightly and laughed, whispering, "I'll always be familiar with you." 

And her arms fell away as she slipped into exhaustive sleep. He cradled her in arms and stood up. Trunks brought her home. 

*** I suppose I could have made this a B/V/(oc or Yamcha) story easily enough. A few changes here and there. But Bulma has her limitations, and just … no. Deal with it. 

*** I also could have written it so it had nothing to do with DBZ. A few changes there and else where. But DBZ gives me options. 

*** And I love making Trunks into a Knight in Shining Armor. A Prince Charming that exists in no man. Uhm, male bashing aside (I really don't mean it, too much), tell me what you thought. And if you criticize, be gentle 

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